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Date: January 2024

High-Temperature Metallic Bellows for Blast Furnace Gas Lines in a Steel Plant

Industry: Steel & Metallurgy – Integrated Steel Plant

Application: Blast Furnace Gas Ducting / Expansion Compensation

Region: Africa

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Challenge:

A steel plant in Africa operating a blast furnace system faced thermal stress issues in its gas recovery ducting due to expansion and misalignment. Existing rigid connections led to cracking and frequent unplanned shutdowns. The client required high-temperature expansion joints that could handle continuous exposure to dusty, corrosive hot gases at up to 550°C — with movement from both thermal cycles and equipment vibration.

Solution Provided:

FlexiBel engineered and supplied metallic expansion bellows in multi-ply SS 316Ti, featuring:

  • Reinforced root rings for pressure containment
  • Internal liners to protect the bellows from abrasive particulate flow
  • External covers to shield against mechanical damage Bellows were designed for high axial and lateral movement, flanged to match existing ductwork. Units were hydro-tested and inspected per ASME standards, with thermal calculations and deflection load specs included.

Why FlexiBel:

  • Proven capability in high-temperature, particulate-laden gas duct applications
  • Fast-track delivery with custom design support and site drawing validation
  • Supplied with full QA dossier, including welding logs, NDT, and dimensional reports
  • Designed for long fatigue life and reduced downtime in continuous process plants

Result:

The bellows were installed during a planned outage and immediately improved flexibility in the gas line. Operators reported reduced thermal stress and no flange misalignment after startup. FlexiBel is now under consideration for upcoming upgrades in the converter gas and sinter cooler lines.